Plaster fork



May 5, 1925.

H. w. Yosr PLASTER FORK Filed Nov. 24, 1925 -FIGnS Fl G. 1

ATTORN EY Patented May 5, 1925. UNITED STATES 1,536,319 PATENT orales.

HENRY W. YOST, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T IIIE Gli/ETHER FIRE EQUIFMENT COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PLASTIEK FORK.

Application filed November 24, 1923. Serial No. 676,823.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WV. Yos'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plaster Forks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in plaster forks, and more particularly to a combination tool of this type for use in fire department service.

lt is the principal object of my invention to provide a strong, one-piece tool which may not only be used effectively to pull down ceilings of metal or plaster board and the like to afford access to a lire behind them, but one over the' frontV end of which the metal or board which clings to it may be easily withdrawn.4

in forks of this type as at'present constructed, it is difficult to pull the clinging metal or other substance from the front end because of the interference offeredby the pivoted-knives or ears and other projecting parts of the tool, but in my improved fork the knives are free to be drawn inwardly a su'liicient distance to permit the clinging substance to clear them. The operation of pulling the clinging metal or `other subst-ance over the knivesis assisted by curved fillets which are placed just beyond the latter to act as guides to deflect the clinging material outwardly in an even manner for removal over the arrowhead portion of the tool.

It is still another object of the invention to provide means for holding the knives in their closed positions during the removal of the clinging material from the tool.

lt is .still a further object of my invention to provide means for prevent-ing the clinging material from working down over the handle of the tool.

uOther important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specification and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure l is a side, elevan tional view of my improved plaster fork. Figure 2 is a front View, in section, of the same. And Figure 3 is a front elevational viewof the tool, showing the knives or ears in their closed positions.

'lhroughout the specification and dra-wings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of my inventions the numeral l designates a tubular member made of tool steel or other suitable material. The outer part 2 of this member is flattened, terminating in a truncated arrow-head portion 3. In the outer end of the latter there is a threaded axial recess which receives the threaded stem t of a hard, pointed insert 5 which forms with the porti-on 3 of the member l, a complete arrowhead. This insert 5 is sufficiently hard and sharp to penetrate al metal or plaster ceiling or siding for the passage therethrough of the pivoted knives or ears now to be described.

The flattened portion 2 'of the member l contains a longitudinal slot 6 which extends from one side of the latter to the other between a raised web part 'l' on the inner wally of said member and its arrow head portion 3. Pivotally secured by pins 8, 8 within the longitudinal slot G of the member l, so that they may close therein, are two outwardly projecting knives or ears 9, 9 which are preferably constructed of tool steel and of the shape shown in Figure 2. The inner ends of these knives are round, the arrowhead portion 3 of the member l being recessed to receive them when their outer ends, which are pointed, are moved into the slot 6 against the web portion 7 of the inner wall of said member'. (See Figures 2 and 3.)

Free to move through a hole in the middle part of the web 7 in the member l, is a plunger having its outer end externally threaded to receive a cap ll to the sides of which are pivotally secured links l2, 12. At their outer ends these links are pivotally se cured in recesses in the lower, inner corner parts of the knives 9, 9, so that when the links are moved outwardly by the plunger 10, they will force the knives 9, 9 into the slot 6 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Referring to Figure 2, the tubular niember l has its inner portion pipe-threaded to ,receive the threaded end of a tubular handle 13. The latter is covered by a sleeve la of rubber or other insulating material to protect the user against electric shocks. it its inner end the sleeve la fits against an an nular shoulder l5 formed within a bead 16 on the inner end ot the tubular member 1. rlhis bead or rib 1G, which encircles the inner end of the tubular member, prevents any material which has been speared thereon, from working down on the handle 13. Cemented to the outer end of the latter is a semi-hard rubber cap 17 in which there is an annular groove 18 to tightly tit both the outer end of the handle 13 and the insulating sleeve 14. (See Figures 2 and The cap 1T has a countersunk middle portion 19 containing two axial holes 29 and 21, the hole 2() being of larger diameter than the hole 21. Free to pass through either of said holes is a cable 22. The latter is connected, within the middle portion ot the handle 13, to one end et a helical spring 23, the other end o't' which is secured. to a cable 2&1. (See Figure Secured within an annular recess in the vinterior portion ot the tubular `member 1, by a screw 25, is a plug 26 in the middle ot which there is a bearing hole tl'n'ough which the plunger 10 projects into the tubular handle 13. Provided in the inner end otl the plunger is a cross drilled hole 2T which communicates with an axial hole to receive through the latter the inner end oi the cable 2l atte-r it passes over a roller 2S on a pin 29 secured in a slot 3i) within the plug 26. (See Figure 2.)

Surrounding the plunger 10 between a collar 21.1 thereon and the web portion T in the tubular member 1. is a helical spring 32 which works in opposition to the spring 2-3. lVhen the cable 22 is pulled outwardly, the plunger' 10 will be elevated or moved outwardly by the cable 2l against the compression ot' this spring 32, to torce the knives 9, 9 into the slot 6 in the tubular member 1 as shown in Figure 8. Since the links 12, 12 are secured to the knives by pins 33, 33 in the recessed portions or the latter, the inward movement ot the knives will not be obstructed by the links. (See Figures 2 and 8.)

ln order to hold the knives .in their closed positions` there is secured on thel cable 223 a small ball 3a between two larger balls 35 and 3G on said cable. rlfhe ball B-'l is ot such a size as to pass freely through the hole 2O in the cap 17, so that it may be brought beneath the small hole 21` which is of smallu' diameter than the ball. Between the holes 20 and 21, there is Yformed in the cap 17 a transverse slot 37 through which the cable 22 is adapted to be drawn to bring the ball 3ldirectly below the hole 21. The spring` 2B will, b v virtue ot its yielding quality, assist in the adjustment ot the ball 8l beneath the hole 21.

Since the ball 3st cannot be drawn through the hole 21 in the cap 17, the knives 9, 9 will be held in their closed positions by it until the cable 22 is shifted through the slot 37 into the hole 20, whereupon the ball will be tree to pass through the latter to permit the compressed spring 32 to torce the knives 9, 9 outwardly to their right-angled positions. The ball 35, which is larger than the hole 20, is secured to the cable 22 to limit the outward movement o'l'l the latter. the inward movement of it being limited by the ball 36 which is also larger than said hole. (See Figures 1 and 2.)

J ust below its arrow-head portion 3, there is provided on each side of the tubular member 1 a tillet 38 which forms a suriace that curves outwardly in a regular manner to said arrow-head portion-,- thereby to sist in the removal ol any material that clings to said tubular member aiter it has been forked thereby.l (See Figures 2 and 3.)

)Vhen it is desired to get at a lire' behind a ceiling or siding ot metal, plaster board 0r the like, my improved fork is first used to penetrate' the same by thrusting therethrough its pointed insert 5.y The passage of the outer end of the fork through the material of which the ceiling or siding is made, will force the knives 9, 9 inwardly against the compression ol the spring 32 on the plunger 10. Then, when the dismantled material is no longer beyond them, these knives, being individually fulcrumed, will be readily moved to theirright-angled positions by the expanding spring acting upon the plunger 10, so that they may serve as gripping elements to pull out that portion of a ceiling or siding that prevents access to the tire. My improved" fork may also be used withequal facility in dismantling a building in which no lire has occurred.

The dismantled material whichy clings to the fork after the latter has been forced through it, cannot work down on the handle 13 because ot the barrier which the bead 16 forms to its movement in that direction. It can be easilyremoved 'tromthe trent end of the tool,- however, in the following manner. -The cable 22 pulled outwardly a sutlicient distance to move the plunger 1() to a point where the links 12, 12 will be acted uponby itA to force the knives 9,V 9 into the slot 6 in the tubular member 1. The material on the fork below these knives is now free to be pulled over thenrto the lille 3.. 39, whose curved surfaces guide said material over the arrow-head portion 3 ol the fork.

During the operation ot removing the dis mantledy materiahthe knives are held tirinly in their closed positions by shitting the cable through t-he slot 3T t'o the hole 21 in the capy 17, so that the ball, by its eng; ment in the lower end of said hole, will resist the expansion ot the spring 32. Sec Figure 3.) As soon as the dismantled material is removed from the tool, the cable fili messie a @Q by being shifted through the slot 3T in the cap 17 to the hole 210 therein, will pen mit the ball 34C to pass through the latter so that the spring 32 may return the knives 9, 9 to their right-angled positions. This will be accomplished with ease through the action of the links 12, 12 upon the inner ends of the individually fulcrumed knives.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a onepiece combination tool which may not only be used eiiectively to pull down a oeil ing or siding of metal, plaster board and the like, but one from which the material which clings to it may be easily removed over its front end.

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes or modilications may be made therein within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invent-ion, l claim: Y

1. In a device of the type described, the combination with a pointed member, of a pair of knives ulcrumed therein behind its pointed end and adapted to be moved outwardly at an angle thereto, a spring adapted to normally hold said knives in a distended position, and means connected to said knives for operation in opposition to said spring to force them into a closed position.

2. ln a device of the type described, the combination with a pointed tubular member having a slotted outer end, a pair of knives separately ulcrum'ed at their inner ends within the slotted portion of said tubular member, a spring within said member adapted to normally hold said knives in a distended position, and means within the tubular member, operable in opposition to said spring, to force said knives within its slotted portion for the purpose specified.

3. ln a device of the type described, the combination with a pointed tubular member having a slot in its outer end, oi a pair oi knives separately i'ulcrumed at their inner ends within said slot, a spring within said member adapted to normally hold said knives at an angle thereto, and means connected to the inner ends of said knives within the tubular member, and operable through its inner end, to force them into said slot against the compression et' the spring for the purpose speciied.

et. ln a device oi the type described, the combination with a pointed tubular member having a slot in its outer end, et a pair of knives separately 'ulcrumed at their inner ends within said slot, a plunger longitudinally movable in said tubular member, a pair of links connected between the plunger and the inner ends of said knives, a web in said tubular member through which said plunger projects, a collar on said plunger below the web, a helical spring on the plunger between the web and the collar, a plug in the inner portion of the tubular member through which the plunger projects, a roller pi'votally secured within said web, and a cable connected to the lower end of the plunger and passing over the roller for the purpose specified.

5. in a device ot' the type described, the combination with a tubular member, of a pair of knives pivoted within said member for outward movement at an angle thereto, a spring for normally holding said knives distended, means within said member and operable trom its lower end for pulling the outer ends of the knives within the tubular member against the compression of said spring, and means for holding the knives in their closed positions.

6. 1n a device of the type described, the combination with a tubular member, of a pair of knives pivoted within said member for outward movement at an angle thereto, a spring for normally holding said knives distended, a tubular handle secured to the inner end of said tubular member, a cap containing two different-sized axial holes connected by a transverse slot, applied to the outer end of the handle, a cable tor pulling said knives inwardly against the compression of said spring, said cable being free to pass through either one of said holes and the slot, and a ball on said cable adapted to pass through the larger hole but not through the smaller one, 'for the purpose specified.

7. In a device of the type described, the combination with an arrow-head member, of a pair of knives pivoted thereto behind its arrow head portion and adapted to be moved to a position at an angle to said member, a spring for holding said knives in a distended position, means for closing the knives against the compression of said spring, and a lillet between each knife and the arrow-head portion of said member to assist in the removal or' the dismantled material trom the liront end oi it when the knives are closed.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand this ist day of November, 1923.

HENRY XV. YST.

fitness1 HOWARD S. SMITH. 

